Smoked Shotgun Shells
Bacon-wrapped pasta tubes packed with seasoned ground beef, Italian sausage, and melted cheese create an unforgettable smoked appetizer. The crispy exterior gives way to tender, juicy filling infused with rich wood smoke in every satisfying bite.
Ingredients
For the Shells:
- 12 jumbo pasta shells uncooked
- ½ lb ground beef 80/20
- ½ lb Italian sausage mild or hot
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 12 slices bacon
- 2 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes optional
For the Glaze:
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Boil jumbo pasta shells until al dente, drain and rinse with cold water, then set aside to cool completely.
- Mix ground beef, Italian sausage, cream cheese, both cheeses, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in a bowl.
- Stuff each cooled shell firmly with the meat mixture and wrap with one bacon slice, securing with toothpicks if needed.
- Preheat smoker to 225°F and place wrapped shells on grate, smoking for 90 minutes.
- Whisk BBQ sauce, honey, and vinegar together, brush over shells, and smoke 30 more minutes until bacon is crispy and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove from smoker, rest 5 minutes, remove toothpicks, and serve warm.